Kat and the Kings
Encyclopedia
Kat and the Kings is a musical
with a book and lyrics by David Kramer
and music by Taliep Petersen
.
Set in late-1950s South Africa
, it focuses on teenager Kat Diamond, who believes he's the best singer and dancer in District Six
, a multi-racial slum in Cape Town
. With his friends Ballie, Magoo, Bingo, and Lucy, he forms the a cappella
group the Cavalla Kings, and the quintet - emulating the American doo wop and rock and roll
they adore - becomes a sensation, graduating from street corners to "whites only" nightclub
s (where the dictates of apartheid force them to use the rear entrance) and a recording contract.
The show was inspired by the memories of Salie Daniels, the real-life Kat who appeared as the narrator in the original production. After touring South Africa, the show was invited to the Tricycle Theatre
in Kilburn in November 1997, and returned to that venue prior to its opening in the West End
. Directed by Kramer and choreographed by Loukmaan Adams and Jody Abrahams, it opened on March 23, 1998 at the Vaudeville Theatre
, where it ran for slightly more than four months. In addition to Daniels, the cast included Abrahams as the young Kat, Adams as Bingo, Junaid Booysen as Ballie, Alistair Izobel as Magoo, and Mandisa Bardill as Lucy.
Kat and the Kings won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical and, in an unusual move, the entire cast was named Best Actor in a Musical. The show also was nominated for Best Theatre Choreography. An original cast album was recorded live during the June 6, 1998 performance and released by First Night Records.
After fifteen previews, the Broadway
production opened on August 19, 1999 at the Cort Theatre
, where it ran for 157 performances. Terry Hector and Kim Louis replaced Daniels as the elder Kat and Mandisa Bardill as Lucy, respectively, but the remainder of the cast and the director and choreographers were from the London
production. It was nominated for Drama Desk Award
s for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Alistair Izobell), Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Orchestrations.
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book and lyrics by David Kramer
David Kramer
David Kramer is a South African singer, songwriter, playwright and director, most notable for his musicals about the Cape Coloured communities, and for his early opposition to apartheid.-Early life:...
and music by Taliep Petersen
Taliep Petersen
Taliep Petersen was a South African singer, composer and director of a number of popular musicals. He worked most notably with David Kramer, with whom he won an Olivier Award.- Career :...
.
Set in late-1950s South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, it focuses on teenager Kat Diamond, who believes he's the best singer and dancer in District Six
District Six, Cape Town
District Six is the name of a former inner-city residential area in Cape Town, South Africa. It is best known for the forced removal of over 60,000 of its inhabitants during the 1970s by the apartheid regime....
, a multi-racial slum in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. With his friends Ballie, Magoo, Bingo, and Lucy, he forms the a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group the Cavalla Kings, and the quintet - emulating the American doo wop and rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
they adore - becomes a sensation, graduating from street corners to "whites only" nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s (where the dictates of apartheid force them to use the rear entrance) and a recording contract.
The show was inspired by the memories of Salie Daniels, the real-life Kat who appeared as the narrator in the original production. After touring South Africa, the show was invited to the Tricycle Theatre
Tricycle Theatre
The Tricycle Theatre is located on Kilburn High Road in Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent, England. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as...
in Kilburn in November 1997, and returned to that venue prior to its opening in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
. Directed by Kramer and choreographed by Loukmaan Adams and Jody Abrahams, it opened on March 23, 1998 at the Vaudeville Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on The Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each new building retained elements of the previous...
, where it ran for slightly more than four months. In addition to Daniels, the cast included Abrahams as the young Kat, Adams as Bingo, Junaid Booysen as Ballie, Alistair Izobel as Magoo, and Mandisa Bardill as Lucy.
Kat and the Kings won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical and, in an unusual move, the entire cast was named Best Actor in a Musical. The show also was nominated for Best Theatre Choreography. An original cast album was recorded live during the June 6, 1998 performance and released by First Night Records.
After fifteen previews, the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production opened on August 19, 1999 at the Cort Theatre
Cort Theatre
The Cort Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 138 West 48th Street in the Theatre District of midtown Manhattan in New York City...
, where it ran for 157 performances. Terry Hector and Kim Louis replaced Daniels as the elder Kat and Mandisa Bardill as Lucy, respectively, but the remainder of the cast and the director and choreographers were from the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
production. It was nominated for Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
s for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Alistair Izobell), Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Orchestrations.
Song list
Act I- Memory
- American Thing
- Lucky Day
- Mavis
- Boetie Guitar
- Cavalla Kings
- If Your Shoes Don't Shine
- Dress to Kill
- Shine
- The Tafelberg Hotel
- Lonely Girl
- Josephine
- Wild Time
Act II
- Happy to Be Nineteen
- Lonely Girl (Reprise)
- Oo Wee Bay Bee
- Only If You Have a Dream
- The Last Thing You Need
- Stupid Boy
- Cavalla Kings (Reprise)
- The Singing Sensation
- The Bell Hop
- Blind Date
- Lonely Girl (Reprise)
- The Invisible Dog
- Hey Baby
- Cavalla Kings (Reprise)
- Skeleton Dance
- Lagunya
- Lucky Day (Reprise)
- The Singing Sensation (Reprise)
- Hey Baby (Reprise)
- We Were Rocking
- Lagunya (Reprise)
- Wild Time (Reprise)